| Welcome to The Pit Lane. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Could Webber win a WDC?; Where did he go wrong. | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 11 2007, 03:46 PM (935 Views) | |
| The Saint | Feb 11 2007, 03:46 PM Post #1 |
|
Unregistered
|
Mark Webbers F1 life seems to have been dogged by bad career moves. Lauded by some and slated by others, Webber remains one of Formula 1’s enigmas. He joined an ailing Jaguar team, and left to have, what many thought was a dream drive, at Williams. Unfortunately Webbers dream turned into a nightmare as the Williams teams fall from the upper echelons coincided with his arrival! No one was surprised when the Williams/Webber combination ended; the only question being was, where would he go? Ferrari, McLaren and Renault were all mentioned, and Mark looked destined to finally get a top drive. To my surprise he went to Red Bull, who (if pre-season testing is to be believed) look destined to struggle in 07. So is Webber a truly gifted driver whose career has been a one of bad decisions, or is he an over hyped lemon who has always been flattered by a compassionate press? |
|
|
| Red Andy | Feb 11 2007, 05:05 PM Post #2 |
![]()
|
Webber's reputation is largely built on a stunning debut drive (which was, to be fair, pretty impressive.) Since then he's been very inconsistent: blisteringly fast at times (particularly in qualifying), but on other occasions he has let himself down. I think Webber, like a lot of other drivers, loses interest if the car isn't up to it. For example, at the beginning of 2006, he was very good in the Williams (at Bahrain and in the short race he had in Malaysia, as well as in Monaco), but when the car started to lose performance and break down a lot he just didn't seem to have that edge anymore, even while Rosberg was extracting the most he could from the car (e.g. Indianapolis). As regards Mark's career decisions, choosing to go to Williams instead of Renault for 2005 was his biggest blunder (and one Flavio constantly criticises him for, I'm told), but to be fair I don't think there was ever a realistic chance of him landing a top drive for 2007. Red Bull will struggle next year, but Webber could be looking at the bigger picture - with Newey on board and bags of cash, the team could turn itself around while Webber is there. |
![]() |
|
| dcoulthard19 | Feb 11 2007, 05:49 PM Post #3 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Mark Webber started his career well and showed promise but at Williams he didn't do enough to convince me that he could challenge for honours in the future. He lacked the vital ingredients and seemed to moan and complain quite a bit and give excuses He will do ok at Red Bull but I don't see him staying there for long and I don't see top teams taking him on in the future with all the young talent there is now, its not really happened for Mark Webber for a number of reasons. Maybe if he had moved to renault in 2005 we could be saying something different now. That might haunt him for a while. |
![]() |
|
| safc_fan89 | Feb 12 2007, 08:49 AM Post #4 |
|
safc_fan89
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
He joined Williams at precisely the wrong time, that was the problem. If Williams had built on their strong showing in the last round of 2004, then it would have been a great move. And DC you say about his lack of move to Renault...the difference between their and Williams' pace in 04 wasn't much, so it's not as if he mnade a bad decision at the time, if that makes sense. I don't think he will win at Red Bull, I can only see them being the equivalent of BMW last season, if that, so he could well go through his f1 career without winning a race, never mind a world championship. Which would be a shame because I do think he has the talent to be a race winner. |
![]() |
|
| GordonB | Feb 12 2007, 10:01 AM Post #5 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
It makes button's buy-out look like an inspired career move! |
![]() |
|
| Paul_Murtagh | Feb 12 2007, 11:14 AM Post #6 |
![]()
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I don't think Webber is as good as a driver as some people make him out to be. He had a strong debut with Minardi and was solid in 2002, but apart from a few excellent qualifying drives with Jaguar he never really had a strong two years with the Big Cat and his inability to avoid accidents surely cost Jaguar more points than they got. When he joined Williams he was expected to do well, yet gained only one podium in 37 races with the team and was out-performed by Nick Heidfeld in 2005, despite the fact that Heidfeld wasn't confirmed by the team until the winter of 2005. I feel Webber is a good qualifier but not as good a racer - similar to Trulli. He will never be a driver in the mind of Schumacher, Alonso or Raikkonen or become a real solid team leader. And I agree with safc_fan89 when he says that Webber will never win a grand prix and I feel that DC could show up Webber this year |
![]() |
|
| Monty | Feb 12 2007, 11:18 AM Post #7 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
lets hope so
|
![]() |
|
| dcoulthard19 | Feb 12 2007, 11:48 AM Post #8 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
People will say I am bias but I think that will happen. DC is a far more complete driver than Webber, DC is a better racer, much better of the start line, can make moves stick and doesn't have the same magnetic attraction to incidents that Webber has. Webber's advantage of course as people say lies in qualifying where he can do some bonanza laps but does he actually do them that often? Not really is the answer. His last really good quali lap was at Monaco last year and he didn't do many in 2005 either. DC can do some good quali laps when he puts his mind to it. Monaco 2001 anyone? I don't dislike Webber, he think he has the signs of a good driver when he puts his mind to it but points wise DC will beat him this year, I would feel confident putting a 3 figure bet on it.
|
![]() |
|
| Penelope Pitstop | Feb 12 2007, 12:17 PM Post #9 |
|
Refueller
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
You're biased though!!! I won't take you up on your bet, but we can have a friendly wager for bragging rights; I say Webber will leave DC with egg on his face this season. It is true that Webber does seem to have a lot of "incidents" but he is faster than DC. It shows he is trying, that he has a hunger that DC does not. It is true that DC is more consistent, but I think that he is just consistently mediocre, which is not such a difficult trick to pull off. DC is nothing more than a good number 2 driver. Webber has the potential to be a number 1 and I think that by the end of the season, quietly DC will have become Webber's no 2 driver. And he will quietly accept it, just as he did with Mika and with Kimi. |
![]() |
|
| Monty | Feb 12 2007, 12:36 PM Post #10 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Even as a die hard DC fan i agree with you, because unlike many posters who clearly have a favourite driver i like to take off my rose tinted spectacles now and again. Certainly last year DC was very mediocre although when the chance of points came along he normally too them, but accept Monaco and perhaps montreal he never produced any real gritty drives such as his driver in suzuka,oz and the nurburgring in 2005. I disagree about him only being a no.2 in DCs career accept at Redbull he has always had very good teamates much better than Webbers. As DC19 says he is more consistent in races and better off the line and Webber is definetely a better qualifier than racer. I dont agree because the last few years DC has been very inconsistent i would say from 2003 onwards, and i think Mark is just as consistent to be honest he just seems to have incredibly bad luck. His drives at Malaysia, Austrailia,Monaco and Hockenheim were superb yet he got nothing for them. Next year i think it will be quite close but Webber is overall a better driver plus he is younger and i think he will win by 5-10 points. |
![]() |
|
| Monty | Feb 12 2007, 12:37 PM Post #11 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
you are very brave! <thumbs> |
![]() |
|
| Penelope Pitstop | Feb 12 2007, 12:53 PM Post #12 |
|
Refueller
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
DC has a lot to do before he can convince me he has changed his spots. He has the talent but not the hunger. |
![]() |
|
| dcoulthard19 | Feb 12 2007, 12:56 PM Post #13 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
If he didn't have the hunger he would have retired by now, he could have retired from racing at the end of 2004 but he still had a burning desire to race. Webber may look hungry but his teeth aren't that sharp, especially when there are signs of things going wrong. |
![]() |
|
| Penelope Pitstop | Feb 12 2007, 01:07 PM Post #14 |
|
Refueller
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
LOL, we will see, we will see. David enjoys driving an F1 car. He is not being humiliated and is earning a multi-million pound salary to operate in his comfort zone. Why retire? BUT to be brutally honest if it were not for those few races after his helicopter crash I would have said he lacked both talent and hunger. BUT David does lack the desire to go outside his comfort zone, which Mark Webber does not. I was reassured by Mark's recent statement that he needed to make an impact soon as he was not happy to trundle around in the midfield for ever. I cannot imagine David ever saying such a thing - mostly because he IS happy to do exactly that - as his career has shown. BTW I am not one for bashing David, I really think he could have done so much more than he did. I would be delighted for him to do well, but after so many years or mediocrity I simply cannot see that happening. So, with regard to Mark's bluntish teeth, I am quite sure they are sharp enough to see off a toothless old David ;-) |
![]() |
|
| Monty | Feb 12 2007, 01:12 PM Post #15 |
|
Chief Engineer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Ah yes his first race back he overtook Michael Shumacher round the outside into turn 1 and but for a bad start might have won the race
|
![]() |
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Formula 1 · Next Topic » |









![]](http://z6.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)

7:21 PM Jul 11